Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum is the CEO of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). LAHSA is the lead agency in the HUD-funded Los Angeles Continuum of Care and coordinates and manages federal, state, county, and city funds for programs providing shelter, housing, and services to people experiencing homelessness. Immediately before joining LAHSA, Dr. Adams Kellum worked with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in her first 100 days as the architect of the Inside Safe housing intervention program.  

Dr. Adams Kellum is perhaps best known for her time as President and CEO of St. Joseph Center, a social service organization offering outreach & engagement, housing, mental health, and education & vocational programs throughout Los Angeles. The Center is a trailblazer in deploying integrated, multidisciplinary teams to help the most vulnerable homeless individuals obtain and maintain stable housing. Under her leadership, St. Joseph Center nearly quadrupled its staff, expanded its services, and broadened its geographic reach, becoming a recognized leader in homeless services. 

Dr. Adams Kellum holds a gubernatorial appointment to the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s No Place Like Home Program Advisory Committee. She served on and continues to support the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Ad Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness under the newly established Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) initiative, as well as the National Alliance to End Homelessness’ Race Equity Network. She currently sits on the California Policy Lab Advisory Board and Board of Trustees for Mount Saint Mary’s University. 

Born and raised in Southern California, she received her B.A. from the University of Southern California and earned an M.A. from Ball State University before completing her Ph.D. at Stanford University.